SB212 Alabama 2018 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Arthur OrrSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2018

Title

Education, Alabama Cyber Engineering School established, bd of directors, programs and eligibility requirements, conditional appropriation of $1,500,000 from Education Trust Fund for fiscal year ending October 1, 2019.

Summary

SB 212 creates the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering in Huntsville with its own board to educate gifted students in cyber and engineering, funded by the state and private sources.

What This Bill Does

It establishes a residential school in Huntsville focused on cyber technology and engineering, planned to open in fall 2020 and funded from state sources plus grants and donations. It creates a board of trustees with specific members and broad authority to manage programs, admissions, staff, budgets, and partnerships. The school will coordinate with the Department of Education but operate independently from the superintendent and state board, serve as its own local educational agency, and offer certificates or diplomas in addition to the standard high school diploma. It also sets an admissions formula to ensure representation from each city/county district, allows summer and extension programs, and permits acceptance of federal or private funds and sources to support operations.

Who It Affects

• Academically motivated and gifted Alabama high school students who would attend the new residential school to study cyber technology and engineering.
• Public school districts across Alabama (and the Alabama Department of Education) because of the admissions formula that ensures geographic representation, potential slot reallocations if districts do not have applicants, and the school’s role in replicating cyber/engineering practices in other schools.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering as a residential, Huntsville-based school, with opening planned for fall 2020, funded by state money and outside donations.
• Establishes a board of trustees with specified members including university presidents, department officials, legislators’ appointees, and eight governor-appointed members from districts, with terms and diversity requirements.
• Grants the board authority to accept donations, purchase/lease property, enter contracts, adopt rules, issue diplomas/certificates, set admission criteria, hire a director, determine staff, prepare budgets, and manage the school’s operations.
• Requires the school to coordinate with the Department of Education but operate independently from the superintendent and state board, and designates it as its own local educational agency.
• Sets an admission formula to ensure at least one qualified applicant from each city/county public school system; if a district has no qualified applicants, slots are reallocated to other districts and additional admissions may occur as resources allow.
• Allows the school to offer summer programs, extension campuses, short courses, and other innovative programs, and to accept federal or private funds for operations.
• Provides for diplomas or certificates in addition to the standard high school diploma, and authorizes the board to determine program subjects and extracurricular activities (subject to state board approval initially).
• Requires teacher qualifications to allow non-certified teachers only if they hold an advanced degree or are recognized as experts in their field.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Education